Pregnancy Nutrition for a Healthy and Intelligent Child

Every pregnant woman should pay more attention to food intake. Pregnant women are not only eating for themselves but also for the fetus in the womb. Fetal growth will be strongly influenced by food intake. Of course nutritional needs of pregnant women will be different from average women. Some need more nutrients for fetal growth and maintaining Mommy’s health. 

Mommy who is pregnant, needs to consume as much as 1000-2500 mg calcium. Calcium is useful for the formation of bones and teeth of the baby. Consuming enough calcium will help Mommy maintain bone density. In addition, calcium also helps Mommy prevent high blood pressure. Calcium can be obtained from yogurt, milk, orange juice, cheddar cheese, tofu, and cottage cheese.

Choline also needs to be consumed by pregnant women. Approximately 450-3500 mg choline is useful to prevent brain and nerve problems for the baby. Choline also helps improve brain growth and build strong bones for pregnant women. High blood pressure can also be prevented by sufficient intake of choline. Eggs, chicken, salmon, chicken, and broccoli or cauliflower are  good sources of choline.

Another type of nutrient that pregnant women should consume is 300 mg of DHA of. DHA can be obtained from salmon, canned tuna, and catfish. DHA’s function is to support brain and vision development in infants. Mommy will also get benefit of DHA in terms of reducing the risk of heart disease. 

Folic acid that needs to be consumed is around 600 micrograms. Folic acid can be obtained from spinach, broccoli, orange juice, rice, spaghetti, and bread. Folic acid is useful for preventing central nerve disorders in babies and pre-term labor. For mommy, folic acid is also useful for preventing anemia and miscarriage.

Iron consumption also needs to be considered. The amount of iron that needs to be consumed is 27-45 mg. Iron helps to prevent pre-term labor. For pregnant women, iron helps treat anemia. Food sources of iron include whole-wheat cereals, beef, mutton, and chicken.

All the foods consumed by Mommy should be well-cooked. Thus, the food will be free of dangerous bacteria that are threatening and also will complete the nutrition for pregnant women. Eating a variety of foods is no harm as long as it is not excessive.